Systems and methods of preserving customized cosmetic products

ABSTRACT

The disclosure herein teaches a method for preserving cosmetics, including hair dye, that are prone to oxidation. The method uses an apparatus for automatically sealing and resealing, so as to prevent oxidation immediately and thereafter the cosmetic products are dispensed, or breached, from their manufacturer packaging. In the proposed apparatus, this is done by producing negative pressure inside a chamber while the cosmetic product is inside an unsealed container within the chamber. The vacuum is produced by a pump connected to an on-off valve, which is directly or indirectly actuated under micro-controlled processes. The one-way flow of air from the chamber to the apparatus&#39; exterior produces negative pressure inside the chamber. Packaging can be sealed by outside influence or sealed by the pressure difference between the outside environment and the inside of the packaging upon the rapid repressurizing of the chamber. These processes prevent oxidation or degradation of the cosmetic product therein. Data related to the properties of the sealed cosmetic product or products is captured and stored in the device in transient or permanent memory and aggregated, analyzed and retrieved at will by a user. Communication and interaction between user and machine can occur physically (using a switch and a luminous indicator), or wirelessly with a mobile device. The resulting product, created to unique specifications from the original manufacturer packaging, can now be stored for an extended period of time without significant degradation of the efficacy.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of PCT Application No. PCT/US2021/039155 filed Jun. 25, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The following relates to systems and methods of preserving cosmetic products that, once dispensed from their manufacturer packaging, are prone to oxidation or degradation. The innovation is used to provide these preserved cosmetic products, mixed to unique specifications, to utilize the products other than immediately after dispensing.

BACKGROUND

Professional Cosmetic products such as hair dyes (including but not limited to, permanent, demi-permanent, hair developer, or temporary hair dyes), hair treatments, skin care products, creams, lotions, and makeup such as foundation, etc. can be specially individually formulated for a particular user from a plurality of manufactured products to allow for infinite variations of formulations. This is particularly advantageous as the user is able to use a product that is customized for themselves and matches their hair type, hair colour, skin type, skin colour, etc. However, these products are typically prone to rapid oxidation which can lead to a degradation in their composition and efficacy. As such, most cosmetic products have a limited shelf life once dispensed from their original packaging to fulfill a user's unique specifications.

For instance, professional hair color, once dispensed from its manufacturer's packaging, must be used as soon as possible, as oxidation begins immediately and if not preserved or used immediately, efficacy is severely affected within an hour.

Current at home hair color services exist and offer a limited range of products manufactured direct to consumer without significant customization for the consumer. These at home hair services also must be mixed and applied immediately to retain efficacy once dispensed and mixed. This innovation allows for the salon professionals to utilize the infinite color combinations of salon professional color and mix and customize for the individual client and sell that color in a manner that will not lose its efficacy for months once sealed.

Salons attempting to provide this service used plastic containers which reacted with the chemicals in the hair color and hair products and could potentially lead to undesired outcomes and allergic reactions. Salons also attempted to compete with at-home color by providing their clients with the hair dye in other various types of containers for use within the hour and the efficacy was compromised in many cases.

Professional salons have been losing market share to at home color companies (in store purchase and online) due to this inability to compete for the convenience and flexibility consumers are looking for.

While the disclosure uses hair colour as an example product, it can be appreciated that this method can be used for preserving other products, specifically other cosmetic products including, but not limited to: hair dyes (including but not limited to, permanent, demi-permanent, hair developer, hair dye developer, hair dye activating agent, or temporary hair dyes), hair treatments, skin care products, creams, lotions, and makeup such as foundation, etc.

As such, there is a need for a method of preserving customized cosmetic products that retain their manufacturer intended quality and have a prolonged shelf life after being dispensed and formulated to unique user specifications.

SUMMARY

The invention taught herein provides a system and method of preserving cosmetic products such that they retain their original quality and efficacy for a longer shelf life. In one embodiment, the method comprises: obtaining at least one vessel configured to having a closure to allow for sealing and unsealing of the vessel (also referred to as container); preparing at least one cosmetic formulation; filling the at least one vessel with the prepared at least one cosmetic formulation; partially sealing the vessel for the prepared cosmetic formulation, such that the closure is affixed but does not close off the prepared cosmetic formulation from the outside environment; placing the at least one partially sealed vessel containing the prepared cosmetic formulation into a vacuum chamber; starting the vacuum chamber such that the vacuum chamber removes at least some of the gaseous fluid inside the chamber and the vessel becomes completely sealed as a result of the difference in pressure between the interior of the vessel and the chamber environment when the chamber pressure normalizes; opening the vacuum chamber once an indication is given to open the vacuum chamber; and checking the vessel and closure to ensure that vessel is sealed. In the result, the cosmetic product is preserved after being dispensed from its original packaging and mixed or combined to unique specifications.

In other embodiments, the closure or the vessel may comprise an antioxidant tablet or inert gas or another method utilized by someone skilled in the arts, to increase anti-oxidation.

The vacuum chamber may be connected wirelessly to a computing device. The computing device can also comprise an application interface to interact with the vacuum chamber.

In another embodiment, the vessel can comprise a Quick Response (QR) code or Near Field Communication (NFC) tag such that it can be uniquely identified.

The cosmetic formulation can be prepared and filled by an automated dispensing system. Optionally, the automated dispensing system is located within the vacuum chamber such that the cosmetic formulation is prepared, filled and sealed in a closed environment within the vacuum chamber.

In another embodiment, the indication can be activated under microcontroller direction to detect a threshold repressurization indicating that the sealing process is complete. The indication can be in the form of sound, light, or digital format.

In another embodiment, the vacuum chamber may comprise a weighing plate and a loadcell to measure and tare the container and subsequent cosmetic formulation. The vacuum chamber may also include a sensor to measure and detect the properties such as pressure, concentration, volume, composition of fluids in the system, or a sensor capable of detecting successful sealing by calculating inflow and outflow volumes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will now be described with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vacuum chamber;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the vacuum chamber;

FIG. 3 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the vacuum chamber showing the internal components;

FIG. 4 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the vacuum chamber;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the vacuum chamber;

FIG. 6 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the vacuum chamber showing the internal components;

FIG. 7 is a view of the vacuum chamber shown in an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 8A is a front view of a container;

FIG. 8B is a front view of a vessel; and

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a method of sealing the cosmetic product.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As mentioned above, cosmetics such as salon hair color and hair products have typically been only applied in salons because of the fact that they degrade rapidly once dispensed and are exposed to oxygen. The invention taught herein provides a system and method of preserving cosmetic products such that they have a longer shelf life. Salons have attempted to dispense for rapid pick up or delivery without this process however due to the nature of these products, the efficacy of the product begins immediately to degrade and therefore the timeframe salons recommended for use once dispensed was typically under 1 hour shelf life.

Naturally occurring elements and commercial formulation for certain cosmetic products may contain oxidative components. These can readily react with oxygen, leading to a condition commonly known as oxidation. Improper storage for these goods can result in their damage. The method taught herein can allow salons and other personal service based retailers to use manufactured professional grade products, customize for a unique customer, and package and deliver stably customized mixtures of oxidation-prone cosmetic products for customers without degradation.

As such, salons can more efficiently offer remote hair color services by avoiding having customers pick up and use the oxidation prone products within a very small time window from the time the products are dispensed. Furthermore, the stabilized products can be pre-mixed and be prepared ahead of appointment times, leading to an increased efficiency within salons and other such establishments. Lastly salons may now avail themselves of point of sale opportunities for hair color to be sold and used at a later date by the customer in salon.

There are known methods for eliminating oxygen from a limited volume. A common method is using vacuum chambers, which are typically used during initial production by a manufacturer. However, vacuum chambers are not readily available for preserving dispensed cosmetics after being dispensed from their original packaging. This is particularly advantageous for custom cosmetics or dispensed cosmetic products from their original bulk packaging. In one embodiment, the method can be used by salons, beauty care professionals, cosmetic retailers, small-batch products.

A vacuum chamber is a rigid enclosure in which air and other gases are actively removed by a vacuum pump. In this method, the construction of the vacuum chamber is built to allow for different types and sizes of containers, and proportionally provides sufficient sealing pressure without damaging the material or container. The overall construction of the vacuum chamber 10 is shown in FIG. 1 . The vacuum chamber 10 details a door 16, having a hinge 15 which can be either manually or automatically opened and closed using solenoids and servomotors, or any other method known to a person skilled in the art. Door 16 can be airtight using conventional insulation methods.

Machine function and user interaction can occur through a physical switch or wirelessly using a mobile application or computing device. The latter also has the ability to manage properties of the material and container (e.g. mass, type and sealing date), which can be stored by the mobile application, in the device's transient or permanent memory, or physically embedded on the container using any information storage methods (RFID, barcodes or QR codes) and accessed on demand. Application includes sealing of cosmetic products such as hair dye and hydrogen peroxide developer, perishable (organic) food and herbs, and most other oxidizing substances.

A physical button 8 or icon on a connected device 9 such as a smart phone, laptop or other electronic device can be pressed, which signals a valve to close by microcontroller control and the pump to turn on. The pump can be connected by a series of tubes to the chamber 10 that is fully sealed from the outside environment, when the valve is closed. The pump can run for either a specified amount of time, to an appointed pressure, or optimized for the objects inside the chamber 10 as against environmental variables or by user selection. After the vacuum chamber 10 meets one or more of the above criteria, the pump turns off and the valve to open the chamber 10 to the outside environment is opened. A volume of air can then flow through the valve and into the chamber 10 until the pressure is normalized.

In this embodiment, the air can be removed from a container 26 a placed inside the chamber 10. FIG. 8A depicts a container 26 a having a lid 26 b, and FIG. 8B depicts a vessel 26 b having a closure mechanism 25 b. It can be appreciated that alternative embodiments may include various container 26 styles including but not limited to, a heat sealed bag, a vacuum sealed bag, induction sealed container, or vessel 26 b with a closure mechanism 25 b. The container lid 25 a can be placed on, but not tight enough to separate the environments inside and outside the container 26 a, such that the lid or other closure is affixed but does not close off the contents from the outside environment. When the valve closes and the pump starts, all the air in the chamber as well as the air in the container 26 a can be removed through the underside of the container's lid 25 a. When the appropriate point of pressure is reached or another preset or dynamic parameter is achieved, and the valve is opened and pump shut off, the air pressure inside the chamber is normalized. In doing this, the lid gets pulled against the top of the container with a force proportional to the pressure difference between the vacuumed inside of the container and the outside environment. This seals the contents, keeping almost all of what was taken out with the vacuum process out of the container away from the hair color or hair product. To further protect the contents of the container from oxygen, the antioxidant that is either part of the container or added to the container removes the last portion of oxygen to ensure no oxidation.

A dual user-interface method is proposed. To start a sealing cycle, the user can either use the mechanical switch 8, or a dedicated mobile application 9.

An indicator 14, such as a Light Emission Diodes (LED) can summarize the sealing cycle's progress, standby mode or machine failure. An indicator 14 may also be shown via mobile application 9.

Accessibility to power the device is provided in 4. Near it, an outlet for the cooling system dedicated to the apparatus' electronics 5 and an air inlet 11 are depicted. The pump 1 removes air from inside chamber 18 through channel 9 through channel 3, channel 12, through the pump 1, and out the outlet 13. The chamber 18 can be secured using any conventional or automated locking mechanism. The embodiment shown in the figures uses a mechanical latch 19.

The flow of air occurs through connectors and tubes (not depicted). In FIG. 2 , channel 9 connects to the valve through connector 3. The valve itself connects to the air inlet channel 11 using connector 14. Lastly, pump 1 connects to the valve using connector 12.

The electromechanical components are depicted in FIG. 3 . A control board 7 interacts with the vacuum pump 1 and an actuator 6 (such as a servomotor). The actuator controls the opening and closing of the on-off valve 17, which connects the vacuum chamber 18 to the air inlet 11.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of the vacuum chamber 10.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the vacuum chamber. In this embodiment, the chamber 18 includes a weighing platform 20 and a weighing sensor or load cell 21. This gives the chamber the ability to tare and measure masses of the contents of the container 26 in this embodiment. Other embodiments may include various container styles including but not limited to, a heat sealed bag, a vacuum sealed bag, induction sealed containers. This is particularly useful for cosmetic applications so a mixologist preparing a custom formulation can use the weighing platform 20 to formulate a custom formulation.

FIG. 6 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the vacuum chamber showing the internal components. In this embodiment, the vacuum chamber includes at least one sensor 23. It can be appreciated that there can be multiple sensors but in this case the sensor 23 can be used to measure and detect the levels of a fluid in the system. For instance, a first sensor can be used to measure the vacuum pressure while another sensor can be used to measure gas which is leaking from the chamber 18.

FIG. 7 is a view of the vacuum chamber shown in an alternative embodiment. In this embodiment, nozzles 27 may contain amounts of varying ingredients used to make custom cosmetic formulations such as pigments, dyes, toners, emulsifiers, stabilizers, etc. The mixologist can then formulate a custom cosmetic product and seal it within the vacuum chamber. One advantage of this is to reduce bacteria or other contaminants from entering the vessel 26 b when the product is prepared.

FIG. 8A provides a view of a container 26 a that may be used in this system. Using glass jars as containers 26 a is preferred since glass is impermeable to air, it does not react to chemicals in cosmetic products, it is sustainable and can be reused and recycled. Glass can also handle the pressure of vacuum sealing required in the process. Furthermore, glass containers would allow customized cosmetic products to be purchased online and shipped without degradation therefore allowing a salon's geographic market reach to grow significantly. In one embodiment, the lid 25 a of the container 26 a is preferably also composed of an inert material, but a screw-top lid made from a metal or plastic can be used as well. The container lid 25 a is placed on, but not tight enough to separate the environments inside and outside the container 26 a, such that the lid or other closure is affixed but does not close off the contents from the outside environment.

FIG. 8B provides a front view of a vessel 26 b having a closure 25 b. The vessel 26 b can be made of inert flexible material, such that the vessel 26 b may be vacuum sealed via the closure 25 b. It can be appreciated that the containers 25 b and vessels 26 b can include manufacturer packaging that has been breached.

FIG. 9 provides a flow chart illustrating the method proposed provided in this invention. The method aims to provide a method of conserving cosmetic goods susceptible to oxidation.

In one embodiment, a hair stylist can consult and assess a client's need either in-person or virtually to determine the recommended product and custom formula for the client (step 1 of FIG. 9 ).

The stylist can then take the requisite number of containers and sealable lids, or other sealable non-reactive containers (step 2 of FIG. 9 ). Some stylists utilize product that will require activation by the client and other processes may utilize activation prior to sealing, and some processes may not require activation at all. This may inform the number of containers used.

The stylist can then prepare and fill the number of containers (required for the client's specific process) with the client's specific, custom formulation of cosmetic products such as hair dye and/or other hair related products, including but not limited to toners, pigments, bleaches, glazes, treatments etc. (step 3 of FIG. 9 ). The preparation of the formulation can be from a plurality of different products or variations of product to unique specifications; including, but not limited to changing the concentration of a product, making a new pigment, or adding chemicals such as bleach, toner, or any other suitable additive to achieve a desired result such as adding shine, improving texture, improving colour, hair health, or skin health, etc.

In one embodiment, an antioxidant packet can be placed in the container. In another embodiment, the antioxidant packet can be placed on the lid. The antioxidant packet can be a small packet containing a de-oxidizer or other oxygen-absorbing means. The packet may also be in the form of a tablet.

Where a container with sealable lid 25 a has been utilized, the lid 25 a can be placed on the filled container and rotated not firmly enough to create a full seal but enough for the lid's seal to have a loose connection to the rim of the filled container (step 4 of FIG. 9 ). When a vessel 26 b has been utilized, the closure 25 b can be partially sealed to allow air to escape the vessel 26 b.

The container is placed into a vacuum chamber and the door is closed and secured. The start button can be either mechanically pressed on the machine or can be started wirelessly from a connected device (step 5 of FIG. 9 ).

During the vacuuming and re-pressurization process, there is no necessary interaction between the operator and the machine.

When the vacuum and sealing cycle is finished, and the vacuum chamber returns to normal environmental pressure, via a physical indicator or electronic prompt, the stylist can open the door and remove the containers (step 6 of FIG. 9 ).

The stylist can check whether the container is appropriately sealed by an attempted twist of the lid 25 a or by visual indicators either on the lid 25 a or container 26 a (step 7 of FIG. 9 ). If a vessel 26 b has been used, the stylist can use visual indicators such as suction level to ensure the vessel 26 b and closure 25 b is sealed.

The stylist may then check their personalized data collection dashboard on a connected device for the vacuum chamber or hair dye usage data.

In an additional situation, a portion of the sealed hair products can be used, and steps 5-7 can be replicated numerous times to reseal the contents and keep the hair products fresh for multiple uses without degradation. Step 4-7 can be replicated as well in certain situations to replace antioxidant and extend shelf life.

In one embodiment, the sealing cycles of the sealing system can be automated. The invention can also store and relay relevant information about the vessel 26 b and the contents of the vessel between the vacuum chamber 18 and the computing device of the application or chamber. This exemplary method allows the oxidation process to stop by utilizing negative pressure and antioxidation additives. Furthermore, the properties of the sealed content (such as weight, formulation and sealing date) can be communicated from the vacuum chamber 18 to the computing device to allow efficient tracking for various purposes including but not limited to: tracking, inventory, reordering, identifying client preferences, expiry dates, etc.

The packaging can be sealed through heat, adhesively, chemically, or otherwise, during the period when the required negative pressure is achieved or the packaging automatically seals when the chamber rapidly repressurizes upon micro-controller actuation based on sensor readings or other threshold trigger. This causes suction inside the packaging containing the formulation which pulls down on the closure creating a strong seal between the inside and outside of the container.

The amount of time from when the contents of the chamber are at peak negative pressure and when it gets back to regular pressure is important and much shorter than most available or custom built systems. The inflow chamber is defined by the max flow volume of the smallest valve per minute to the volume of the chamber across a pressure difference of approximately 1 psi. In one embodiment, the acceptable inflow ratio is approximately 3 to approximately 5. In another embodiment, the preferred inflow ratio is approximately 4.3; which is the ratio to achieve optimal sealing differential pressure.

This is affected by the diameter of the tubing back into the chamber, the size of the valves, and the total volume of the chamber. The faster the air rushes back into the chamber, the greater the force on the jar lid to want to attach itself to the jar, creating a more oxygen free environment. This allows the typical depressurizing time to be around −1.5 seconds whereas most available chambers could take 3-5× as long. The longer length of time to seal the container does not force the lid to quickly attach itself to the jar, allowing more oxygen to enter the container and possibly spoiling agents back into the prepared cosmetic formulation.

In one embodiment, the system can operate in an automated fashion, with the user only either tapping a button on a screen or the mechanical button on the machine, while the pump operation and opening and closing of the valves is controlled by the system.

In another embodiment, the system can calculate the appropriate pressure, and sealing time based upon information (number of jars, contents of jars etc.) and feed to it through the controlling application.

In yet another embodiment, the system may be able to store in memory the usage history of the device. The information to be stored in the memory can include, but is not limited to, number of customers, jars, amount of color, revenue, color costs etc. This information can be fed back to the user in the form of data on usage through the application.

In one embodiment, the system may ask questions to determine the product formulation, and to determine the systems cycle parameters. Typically, a specific pressure, time or other scientific measurable parameters can be chosen by the user.

In another embodiment, the system is provided with vibration reducing measures to protect the contents of the chamber from shaking. The bottom of the chamber can be constructed from vibration dampening neoprene foam to prevent movement of the lids or the entire jar during use. Additionally, on the underside of the device there can be an additional thicker, soft neoprene foam to aid in vibration dampening to avoid resonating through a hard surface. The system may also include noise reduction measures so that the vacuum chamber is quiet.

It is also preferable that the system is lightweight and compact for easy placement on a salon's color mixing bar or even a customer's home, and easy to store when not in use.

In another embodiment, the system provides the ability of the vacuum chamber to allow for identification of approved sealing containers whether by Near-Field Communication (NFC) reading, barcode, or Quick-Response (QR) scanning either in the app or on the vacuum chamber itself.

For simplicity and clarity of illustration, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the examples described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the examples described herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the examples described herein. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the examples described herein.

It will be appreciated that the examples and corresponding diagrams used herein are for illustrative purposes only. Different configurations and terminology can be used without departing from the principles expressed herein. For instance, components and modules can be added, deleted, modified, or arranged with differing connections without departing from these principles.

Although the above principles have been described with reference to certain specific examples, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art as outlined in the appended claims. 

1. A method of preserving a cosmetic product, comprising: obtaining at least one vessel configured to having a closure to allow for sealing and unsealing of the vessel; preparing at least one cosmetic formulation; filling the at least one vessel with the prepared at least one cosmetic formulation; partially sealing the vessel for the prepared cosmetic formulation, such that the closure is affixed but does not close off the prepared cosmetic formulation from the outside environment; placing the at least one partially sealed vessel containing the prepared cosmetic formulation into a vacuum chamber; starting the vacuum chamber such that the vacuum chamber removes at least some of the gaseous fluid inside the chamber and the vessel becomes completely sealed as a result of the difference in pressure between the interior of the vessel and the chamber environment when the chamber pressure normalizes; opening the vacuum chamber once an indication is given to open the vacuum chamber; checking the vessel and lid or other packaging to ensure that vessel is sealed; wherein the cosmetic product is preserved after being dispensed from its original packaging.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the closure comprises an antioxidant tablet.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vessel comprises an antioxidant tablet.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vessel volume is replaced with inert gas acting as an antioxidant agent.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein vacuum chamber is connected wirelessly to a computing device.
 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vessel comprises a uniquely identifiable tag.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cosmetic formulation is prepared and filled by an automated dispensing system.
 8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the automated dispensing system is located within the vacuum chamber such that the cosmetic formulation is prepared, filled and sealed in a closed environment within the vacuum chamber.
 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indication is activated under microcontroller direction to detect a threshold repressurization indicating that the sealing process is complete.
 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indication is in the form of sound, light, or digital format.
 11. The method according to claim 5, wherein the computing device comprises an application interface to interact with the vacuum chamber.
 12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum chamber comprises a weighing plate and a loadcell to measure and tare the container and subsequent cosmetic formulation.
 13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum chamber includes a sensor to measure and detect the pressure of fluids in the system.
 14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the system comprises a sensor to measure and detect the properties of fluids in the system.
 15. The method according to claim 1 wherein the system comprises a sensor capable of detecting successful sealing by calculating inflow and outflow volumes. 